First, he made sure his son and another were safe. But then he tried to save his boat

When waves and high winds capsized his fishing boat on Baldwin Lake on Wednesday, Lonnie Smith stayed in the water to try to flip it back over.

He sent the other two occupants of the boat, one of whom was his son, to shore.

But Smith, 48 of East St. Louis, got his legs tangled up in his fishing gear, said St. Clair County Coroner Calvin Dye Sr. As the boat filled with water, Smith was dragged down, even though he was wearing a life jacket.

Manker said the Randolph County Sheriff’s Department received a 911 call from employees at Dynegy Midwest Generation Inc. who saw the capsized boat. The sheriff’s department then called Conservation Police.

When crews arrived, Smith’s son and the other man in the boat had already made it to shore. A crew from New Athens Water Rescue took a rescue boat out and found Smith’s body in the water. His boat had sunk to the bottom of the lake, Mankers said. After waters calm, crews will use sonar equipment to locate it.

Smithton, St. Libory and Freeburg fire departments assisted the agency on the call, along with ambulance personnel.

Manker said his entire Conservation Police crew was at the nearby World Shooting & Recreation Complex in Sparta for equipment inspections when they received the call from the Randolph County Sheriff’s Department. Police were then able to respond with their equipment to the lake.

New Athens firefighters secure their rescue boat after two people were rescued and one person died Wednesday morning on Baldwin Lake after their boat capsized in the water. Wednesday’s wind made the water extremely rough with waves reaching 3 or 4 feet tall. Derik Holtmanndholtmann@bnd.com

Several people were fishing near a boat dock on Baldwin Lake Wednesday afternoon. Wednesday’s wind made the water extremely rough with waves reaching 3 or 4 feet tall. Earlier Wednesday 2 people were rescued and one person died after their boat capsized on the lake. Derik Holtmanndholtmann@bnd.com

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